Christmas 2012- part 2

After we celebrated Christmas with my family in the morning, we traveled down the road to celebrate with Ryan's family. I was even worse about taking pictures here. I blame it on the fact of trying to keep Hailey out of the Christmas tree and sparkly ornaments, helping her open presents and then having to put her down for a nap in the middle of it all. She got a lot of cute clothes and toys at the Epley house, including a walk-behind toy that she has already worn out! That thing made many a lap around their house and now ours. I think she'll be walking before too long!

Here are a few snapshots of what we did with the Epleys:

We practiced walking

played with Mimi's Christmas decorations

notice the walking toy; she realized she could use it to get to things she wanted to play with

went shopping

played with her new toys (this is a remote, so she will stop stealing ours! Ha!)

discovered our love for whipped cream

went out to eat

We had so much fun, we were worn out every night!

We had a blast celebrating Christmas and our trip to Charlotte!

Christmas 2012- part 1

Before Christmas gets too far gone, I need to do a post about it. Christmas Eve we went to service with my family and then got together with Ryan's extended family for dinner. This is the only picture I took all night of Hailey and her cousin (second cousin, I think) Maddox. Aren't they cute?!

We arrived in Charlotte on Friday for my nephew's birth and spent until Christmas morning with my family. Here are a few things we did...

Read lots of books with Mary Katherine

got a cute new paci (how perfect?!)

practiced walking behind Grams' basket (don't worry, she got walking toys for Christmas)

found and played with Tucker's trains

played with Grams' Christmas decorations (she LOVED this little snowman that sang and danced, perfect for her!)

explored the Christmas tree

and played with everyone's presents.

Ryan said she's gonna play the flute like me! Look at that form already!

Unfortunately, all of the pictures of Hailey actually opening her presents are on Dad's camera. The first thing she opened was a book and after that had no interest in opening any more. She just wanted to read the same book over and over. Unless she saw that someone else got a book, then she wanted to read that one too. (MK got a cookbook and Hailey really wanted her to read it to her. Too funny!)



We had such a great time with my family, but it didn't end there...

Seeing Old Friends

While we were in Charlotte we had to opportunity to go to Hickory Grove and see some old friends. We saw a lot of people but unfortunately I didn't take nearly enough pictures. It was so fun for our friends to get to see Hailey and how much she's grown. Here are a few pics of people that we saw. (These are a few of the guys that Ryan mentored in the College Ministry)

Ben. "I don't know how to hold a baby!" (I think he did pretty good)

Evan making the same face as Hailey

Matt

We also saw Cailtin, Cody, Rachel, Jackie, Anna, Jud, the Woodys, Hamiltons, Wagoners, and so many more. We were able to attend church there on Sunday morning and for Christmas Eve so you can imagine the friends we saw. I hate that I didn't get more pictures. After we left church Hailey was worn out! Can you tell?!

I also got some cute pictures of Hailey in front of the Christmas tree, but they are on my dad's camera. Oh well!

Baby Mack

One of the reasons we traveled to Charlotte as early as we did before Christmas was because my sister was having a baby on December 21st and we wanted to be there. So we packed up early Friday morning (the 21st) and drove to Charlotte to visit them in the hospital. It was Hailey's first experience with a baby. She wasn't too impressed...until I started holding him and then she got a little jealous. Ha!

Introducing Mack!

Grams and Gramps with two of their three grandchildren. Unfortunately Tucker (Mack's big brother) got sick right before he was born so he couldn't go to the hospital to meet him.)

The Epleys meeting Mack

Oooh! What's that? He looks like my baby doll.

But my book is more interesting.

So sweet!

Silly Girl

While I'm still getting myself together from our Christmas traveling here's a little bit of my silly girl having fun at Grams and Gramps' house.

Christmas Parties Galore

This past week / weekend we had a lot of Christmas parties and get-togethers to attend. It was so much fun to be able to hang out with friends and enjoy the friendships God has blessed us with here in Raleigh.

Tuesday night was our pastors' wives Christmas get-together. Each month we meet for a prayer time for one another and to just get to know each other more. It is so encouraging to be able to talk with other pastors' wives, learn from them and pray together. I have enjoyed it so much since coming to Providence. (Sorry, I forgot to take any pictures).

Thursday night was the staff Christmas party for Providence. Hailey stayed at home with Sarah (the wonderful babysitter who doesn't seem to mind my baby crying too much) and from what I hear, they read LOTS and LOTS of books! Sound like my baby?! Anyways, we had a great time at the Christmas party and just enjoyed spending time with the people that Ryan serves alongside everyday. It was a nice, more formal party so it was fun to dress up and have somewhere to go. They had a wonderful dinner and an improv group gave us a little entertainment.

Ryan and I- I'm so glad he wore a suit!

Andrew, me and Ryan- the Charlotteians transplanted to Raleigh

Ryan, Bev and David- wonderful blessings as we learn the singles ministry

Saturday night was our LIFE class Christmas party. Once again Hailey missed out on the fun. But she got to stay with Jodi and Chad, friends who are at Southeastern and having a baby in February. Hopefully she didn't scare them about parenthood too badly! Can you guess what she wanted to do with them?

Wasn't Chad a good sport?! It was SUCH a blessing that they were willing to keep Hailey for us. It really allowed us (me) to just have fun spending time with others at the party and not having to worry about if Hailey was happy or tired or needed to be fed or it was close to her bedtime.

We had a tacky sweater party and here are a few of the fun ones.

the winners of the contest

some were homemade! and lit up!

Ryan and James

Ryan and I

 We also did a $10 gift exchange. There were some pretty funny gifts, as well as some nice ones. I think the funniest one had to be the "Forever Lazy" that Josie got.

Too funny!

We had a busy, but oh so fun week hanging out with friends. We're looking forward to more over the next few weeks!

And because I know the grandmas are sad there isn't a picture of Hailey yet...here is my sweet girl before church yesterday.

Bobo

In Hailey's 9 month post, I mentioned that she had taken a liking to a pink stuffed dog that Ryan's uncle had given her. I also mentioned that she loves dogs, all dogs. Well, when we came back from Thanksgiving Hailey started saying "Bobo" all the time which is the name of Ryan's parents' dog (Beau). I felt bad that she couldn't really see Bobo and kept saying it so I started calling the stuffed dog Bobo. Now she loves him. She drags him (well I guess her, since it is pink) around by the ear everywhere. We can ask her "Where's Bobo?" and she will go get him. Every time Hailey picks him up she just smiles and giggles. It's so cute!

Bobo plays with Hailey,

 watches Baby Einstein with her,

 takes naps with her,

 and just hangs out with her.

So cute!